Best selection of spirits and beer in New Haven. Between the New Bottle Shop and its sister store,…read moreOddBins Bottle Shop on Whitney (which really shines in terms of wine and vintage port), I've never wanted for access to--or knowledge about--good wine, beer, or liquor in New Haven. The proprietors here are extremely knowledgeable, and whereas they may not be as immediately outgoing as their competitors at Wine Thief (as some other reviews have alluded to), they really treat their regulars well. For instance, they'll get a few bottles each year of some of the rarer, more sought-after bourbons, and instead of selling them online or advertising them to out-of-town buyers (which surely be exponentially more profitable), the guys at New Bottle Shop will set them aside to sell only to customers who they actually know, and only minimally marked up. (I know they have a similar policy for limited edition craft beers, as well.) They'll also go way out of their way to help neighborhood customers to track down any rare bottle they don't already have in stock. It's incredibly kind and helpful of them, and really adds to the neighborhood feel of the place. Can't recommend highly enough.

The new bottle shop has a great feeling as soon as you walk in and always you will be greeted and…read morehave the assistance of their welcoming staff ....

This is one of my favorite wine shops in the US, along with the Barrel and Bottle at the North…read moreMarket Downtown in Columbus OH. Both of them are small, independent wine shops with brilliantly curated selections. I wish Austin, TX had a wine shop with selections I could trust as much as what either of these two store offer. It especially makes buying Italian and Spanish wines a joy - I get to bypass the ones I know and try the ones unfamiliar to me knowing I will very likely love or at least enjoy all of them.

Neighborhood wine shop with a nice selection. The owner is very friendly and helpful, I told him…read morewhat I like and he suggested some different wines I should try. I was very satisfied with what I purchased (a Malbec & Savignon Blanc). It's become my new go-to wine spot. It is conveniently located in downtown NHV.

I wish DC had a Wine Thief! We stopped by to grab some wine bottles as a thank you gift for…read morefriends. They had recommendations for exactly what we were looking for, and in multiple price ranges. They also beautifully gift-wrapped the bottles if asked! We glanced around a bit while they were being wrapped and the gentleman manning the store was able to answer all of our questions, and with honesty. There's more than wine -- we had our eyes on some local craft beer and some botanical gins. Next time :) Oh, and the wine was an absolute hit with our gift recipients!

Great selection, warm and knowledgeable team that always has great recommendations. Both locations…read moreare wonderful.

Always friendly, and I didn't realize how good the wine selection and advice was until other stores…read morestarted letting me down. He also sources specialty beers like heady topper and expanded his stouts and brown ales after I asked. Beer wine or liquor, this is the best shop in new haven

Very very professional, friendly, and courteous service always greets me with a smile, pleasant…read moreatmosphere clean store

So I was in Southern California having brunch at one of those chi chi bottomless mimosa places. As…read moreit turned out, the meal was pretty mediocre, but the bubbly was excellent. Once I sobered up a bit, I copied down the name and googled to see where I could find it in CT. I was expecting perhaps one of those big warehouse stores, but no, the only place in the state which carried it was Grand Vin a store which I must have passed dozens of times on my way through Fair Haven. I headed over and have have been a customer ever since.The guy who is always there when I drop by is very knowledgeable and will direct you to something you'll like, whether it's a high end, or more my style - cheap and tasty. For a store with a relatively small footprint, the selection of wines and liquors is impressive. I've never gone looking for something without finding it, at a fair price, too.

It was a pleasure talking to the store owner. He was very informative and helpful in shooting wine…read moreoptions. They offer 12 bottles for $90 which is amazing. If you haven't been here yet, what are you waiting on?

The service I had here was very friendly and personal, plus the local or semi-local craft beer…read moreselection was decent, which is what I came for. I suggest trying this local gem if you are looking for a craft beer from Connecticut! I can't personally comment on anything else besides that, because local craft beer is what I was looking for...

Cute store and good selection of wines and beers. They have several very fancy wines too.read more

This is a perfectly adequate small liquor shop. I wanted the simplest possible thing -- Maker's…read moreMark 750 ml -- and the counter dude was very pleasant about getting it for me. If' I'd been there for wine, I'd probably have a lot more to say, but I wanted a very popular size of a very popular liquor, and they had it. It was $45; I don't know what Connecticut liquor taxes or even prices in New Haven are like generally, so I can't judge the price. I was the only customer at the time. It was cramped. Decor was mostly bottles of wine. I used Yelp to find it and all of the reviews are super old and together they were a mixed bag, so I wanted to say I had a satisfactory experience.

Don't let this store's somewhat shady exterior scare you away! It's run by two of the nicest…read moreguys--who are always there and always willing to help you pick something out. Although Gag's has got a somewhat limited selection, it's well stocked enough with all the essentials, as well as chilled bottles of white wine and cases/six packs of beer for those on-the-way party pick-ups. Convenient, friendly, and as cheap as anywhere else. What else could you ask for?

There is nowhere else you should go to spend dollars on liquid if you care about the liquid you are…read morebuying with said dollars. I like liquid. This place has an outstanding selection. They also have a knowledgeable staff which is helpful. If you ever want to practice the Ukelele after you buy a case of wine, this is your place! Kegs- they've got 'em. Wine. Yup. So much. So so much. Liquor: only every kind. Don't waste your money elsewhere. Come here.

Large selection of everything wine and spirit. Clean and…read morewell organized. Great customer service. Competitive prices.

Open on Easter. I've ordered delivery 3 times…read more Prompt and friendly. I totally recommend. Open on a holiday. Can't beat it. They closed at 6 today.

This is probably the largest liquor store in New Haven proper. I only really come here for alcohol…read moreI can't find at Total Wine, but it's pretty well stocked, if a bit overpriced, particularly for liquor.

We stopped in for apps on a Saturday afternoon. We ordered a glass of wine, ceviche, and skewers…read more We sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly, full of energy, and efficient. The ceviche was excellent, everything was cooked throughout by the citrus. The portion size is small for $19 and it could have used a side of bread or tortillas to soak up the delicious citrus based broth. The skewers were also excellent. They were cooked perfectly, super tender, juicy and flavorful. They cooked them with a seasoning and had a delicious chimi on top.

On a recent visit to New Haven to see an exhibition at the Yale Center for British Art, we hoped to…read morehave dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (Barcelona Wine Bar), but they were fully booked with a Yale event. In a display of restaurant solidarity , they recommended that we try Vinas Wine & Tapas. As it turned out, we have a NEW favorite in New Haven! We arrived a bit early and were cheerfully greeted by Mike G, our server. The atmosphere was welcoming and relatively quiet, since their musical offering does not start as early as our 5:00-7:00 PM time slot on a Tuesday. We had asked for the waiter Christian because he had been mentioned in several of the Yelp reviews, but Mike proved that the service compliments should go to everyone. First, the tapas: We enjoyed all five of the tapas we chose. The "Calamares" were lightly battered and crispy. The Vinas salad was fresh, with tomatoes, cheese, corn, and croutons. The pork belly was delicious and more meaty than expected . The oyster mushrooms were presented with onion crisps. The baked birria empanada was stuffed with brisket style beef. Each of these "courses" was a unique delight to the palate, and for me and my partner, it was completely satisfying. In keeping with the spirit of a "wine bar," Vinas offered a flight of 4 wines in 3 ounce glasses, and after hearing about our food choices and wine preferences, Mike chose the wines for us, giving us a chance to taste some less familiar offerings. We had the Felino Malbec 2024 (Argentina), which became our favorite for its full-bodied and deep flavor. Our second wine was a unique Don Abel (private label) from Wallingford CT, made by one of the relatives of the owner, specially for Vinas. This one reminded us of the local wines one might receive in a B&B in the Loire Valley in France. The final two wines were both from Chile: Reserva Carmenere 2023 and Cabernet Sauvignon Marques de Casa Concha 2022. Both were excellent wines. It was great fun to have Mike choose the wines for us, and we really enjoyed the variety that the flight offerings gave to us. Of course, we had to try a dessert, and Mike recommended the Toffee Cake. We had heard that the owner claimed that some people cried with joy after eating it. Although we restrained ourselves, we had to agree that this was an extraordinary conclusion to a fabulous meal. Overall, this was a great experience for us, and we heartily recommend Vinas Wine Bar and Tapas for a relaxing and welcoming dinner. Some reviews I had read suggested that the portions were too small for the price. I have to disagree. My partner and I love food, and this was plenty. And the price was reasonable. Including tip and tax, we spent about $75 each.